LadiesLoveTaildraggers

You may think you’ve flown everywhere and done everything but you’d be wrong if you haven’t flown into Sikeston, Missouri just to eat at Lambert’s Cafe, “Home of the Throwed Rolls”.  Diana Votaw flew in from Sparta Airport, SE of St. Louis and took a few pictures to share!

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OK, Diana, so you’re telling us you went to Lambert’s Cafe for the ‘throwed rolls” and it had nothing to do with Trent & John.  Hummm?……….

I haven’t been able to get there myself for a couple years but it’s on my summer “My Champ needs somewhere to fly today” list!

Lambert\’s Cafe, Sikeston, MO

Flight out; snow still on peaks.

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Redfish Lake where we will all be kayaking

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Flight back--Sulphur Creek also has great breakfast and lodging

We had a fabulous time…. 32 Wacos made it with two new restorations showing up with less than an hour on each plane!

Cliff Hogan and his family (Famous Hogans of Hamilton Ohio) have been working on 14052 for nine years — Cliff worked like a dog until 10 PM Friday night and gave up and drove up to Mt. Vernon.  His cousin and brother stayed behind working on the plane and about noon on Saturday Cliff got word that they got it running and were going to test fly it for about 30 mins….and if all was well, gas her up and head our way.  It was soooo exciting to see her enter the pattern and Cliff was like a little kid filled with excitement.  We were all so happy for him and the plane is just beautiful!  

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The other plane was a beautiful UPF-7 that the owners finished up on Friday with 1 hour test flight — and they showed up Saturday morning… the plane is just beautiful.  A testament to a great plane with lots of history behind her.

One of the other guys flying the first model Waco Cabin a QDC started last year with everyone signing the lower left wing — and this year he had everyone sign the lower right wing…. a great way to memorialize the impending re-cover job!

I gave Jeff Skiles a ride on Thursday and Friday night we all flew until we could barely see any more.  I gave three rides to some people there and the air was like glass.  Saturday we had our banquet and auction — I spent way too much money on things — but it all supports the club so who cares! LOL  Got a gift certificate for a magnito overhaul which was well worth it and a bargain at $215.00 !

Tina and I didn’t get a chance to fly together since they opted to bug out Saturday am to try and beat weather back to Illinois.  She it sooo excited about coming for the LLT fly-in and can’t really decide on whether to bring the Bird or the Waco!

Here’s a fantastic “aviation rodeo” video straight out of Alaska. The best 5 minutes you’ll spend in a long time! So how do these bush pilots do it? Some very wise words at the end of the video!

April Gowen is based at Bealeton, Virginia and flies this 1946 L16 Champ.

I am 32 years old, married and I have a 3 year old little girl who is obsessed with planes too!!  I’m a Human Resources Manager by day and a student pilot as much as I can be.  I’ve been flying since August of 2009.  So far I have flown the 1946 L16 Aeronca Champ (that’s the main one that I fly) and a 1940 Piper Cub.

I recently did my first solo flight. The guy in the next picture is my instructor.  His name is Chuck Tippett.  He is a CFI and a member of the Flying Circus in Bealeton, VA. That’s his Champ.  He is also a wing-walker.  He has helped over 40 students get their license (he teaches in his free time as he is a full time lineman for the local power company) and I was the first female he has ever soloed, so it was a big day for him too!

I decided to get into flying when I went to the flying circus to see the airshow and my husband bought me a ticket to go for a ride  in a Stearman that Chuck (now my current instructor) was flying.  I was scared to death because I had always been afraid of flying.  But there was something about the rumble of the engine and the smell of the fuel and the element of risk that was magnetizing to me. So he took me up and I remember it was such a wonderful and exhilarating feeling, that I actually cried tears of joy while we were in the air!  It was at that point that I was hooked.  I  now  eat, sleep, and breath flying.  And it’s the old fashion, “real” planes like you say, that excite me most.

Maybe sometime the group can check out the Flying Circus.  I know that the local chapter of Women in Aviation International has a fly-in there every year, but never a group of ladies who fly tail draggers!!!  Also, close to me is the National Air and Space Museum (Udvar Hazy) so maybe in the future it could be a cool weekend event for the girls to use as a get together.  I am posting links below for you to check out: http://www.flyingcircusairshow.com/ http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/ If it’s something you would be interested in, I’m sure I could get it set up!  We are also trying to build a vintage plane museum there so it might be a good event for raising donations toward the museum!

I am thrilled that I found this awesome website!!!  I only know one other woman that flys a traildragger, so this is great!!

Hope to get networking with others soon!

April Gowen

Did you know the National Waco Club is in the midst of their 51st Reunion and the members are celebrating at a fly-in at 6G4 south of Mt. Vernon, Ohio? Susan Theodelores is spending the bigger part of a week over there and no doubt having a great time.  Probably much to do helping her husband, Andy Heins, who is president of the club. Susan’s keeping us connected!

We have 14 Wacos here so far! Everyone is out flying now. The wind finally died down so I went and got the RNF out of the hangar at Knox County and Jeff Skiles (of Hudson River flight fame and fellow Waco owner) rode back to Wynkoop with me! Thankfully I made a great landing!! The weather is perfect now… Nice and cool… Hopefully more Waco owners fly in tomorrow!!!

If you’re in the area and would like to fly in, check out this link http://www.nationalwacoclub.com/. The event runs through June 27th.

After waiting out rain and wind, we scampered to the hangar for wheels up at 7 pm… Just under an hour for Andy in the speedy cabin and just over an hour for me in the “stop amd smell the roses” RNF. The planes are tucked in the hangar for the night… We had ice cream for dinner and are now relaxing at the hotel. Vacation has begun!! Will take some photos of the airport tomorrow! When there is more light.

Are you ready for the BIG moment – the unveiling of the official Ladies Love Taildraggers logo!!!?   It still needs some final tweaking but I’m going to jump the gun and show you anyway!  Hope you send in your comments.

Getting to this point has been a real education, mainly because I kept thinking, “surely” I can do it myself – at least with a little help on the side!   As you know, it all started posting pictures of several taildraggers on LLT then trying to pick just ONE to represent us all.   I received comments from many of you, (thank you – thank you!) artwork  sent in by several lady pilots, and spent many hours playing on my ‘Paint” program.  For anyone interested in how the logo evolved, keep on reading!

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Andrea Stang got the ball rolling when she surprised me with an email of this very cute design she says she whipped up in about 20 minutes.  (I on the other hand, have to sit there and think about it for more than 20 minutes before I even touch the keyboard!)  She was nice enough to stick with me via email and tweak several different designs !

I had something a little different in mind, so Andrea worked on it and sent me a couple more to consider.

I was thinking “less pink” and text not quite so “girlie” so Andrea sent me this deeper colored version.

After I had harassed Andrea enough (God love her!), I dived full steam into Microsoft “Paint” and started playing around with all the colors in that very limited program….

Oh, this is fun!  It’s cute but….

Oh, colorful, but it looks more like water flooding the earth and where would I stick an airplane in it….

But I did finally figure out that I really DO like red!

And then came the airplane!  After all our discussion on “what airplane?” we should use, I REALLY hate to admit how I came up with one.  Frankly, it’s HARD to find a picture of an airplane in flight, viewed from the rear, which is what I wanted.  Then I found this picture of a real airplane, flying away so you can see the tail and the wheel really well.  A great picture but not a graphic.  I sent the picture to my son who has a new IPad, and he drew it for me in 10 minutes and emailed it back.  (The wonders of Apple and my artist son!)  Anybody know what the airplane is? (Yes, of course I know!!)

So finally  I was starting to get somewhere…..

Trying again….

Then I started to like the direction it was taking….

Which leads us to this most recent design…..

Hallelujah – Hallelujah!

I’ve seen jewelry of all sorts, t-shirts, ties, hats, and other airplane inspired attire but I’ve never this!  Susan, you’re going to have to model these at the Lady Taildragger fly-in!

From Susan Theodorelos; I thought some of the other ladies would enjoy seeing and maybe even getting some of their own “cool plane shoes”!  My sister had these made for me last year for my birthday — and I just love them!

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“Fancy feet” i.e. Susan’s RNF & her husband, Andy’s, Cabin Waco!

The web info in case anyone is interested; Www.clpstudio.com

She is in Lake Ozark, MO. 573 365 3523.